NEMO Heart Health takes on new task of helping to get local youth healthy and happy while building lifelong habits

Monday

Sep 2, 2013 at 11:00 PM

2013 Progress Edition: Improving our lifestyle

Editor's note: The following story appears in the Aug. 2 edition of the Daily Express. Our annual Progress Edition is themed "Unlocking our future" and examines workforce development, lifestyle improvement and what it takes to succeed in local business. Pick up your copy at the Daily Express office, 110 E. McPherson St.

A few years ago NEMO Heart Health started with a simple mission to provide 50 AEDs over the course of five years. After just three years and providing more than 70 AEDs, NEMO Heart Health has started a new branch called NEMO RAAWKS.

"After we were so successful at placing AEDs we looked to shift our focus, and childhood obesity was one of the first things that came up," said medical director of NEMO Heart Health and co-coordinator for NEMO RAAWKS Dr. John Rickelman.

Providing AEDs is still a huge priority for NEMO Heart Health, but they are looking to expand their role in the community.

While the topic of childhood obesity is very broad, Rickelman has a simple philosophy.

"My personal wish is to not care just about childhood obesity, but to increase appropriate nutrition and activity. You're not going to see an obese kid who is active and eats healthy. On the same token, you're going to see skinny kids who are still unhealthy. Just because they are thin doesn't mean they are going to be healthy in the future," said Rickelman.

NEMO RAAWKS (Raising Active Awesome Kids) is looking to deal with younger kids starting from age 3 up to age 12.

"Our focus is just on children. They are the age population in which we can see the greatest change and make the biggest impact. Once they get to be teenagers they're kind of already set, and can be difficult to change," said Rickelman.

Rickelman has a dream to see kids complete the program and then come back to interact and help the program grow.

"A long term goal is to be able to take kids that were 5 when they started, and when they're 15 they can come back and help teach the younger kids and show them the values they learned," said Rickelman.

Kirksville and northeast Missouri are right on par with the national average in terms of childhood obesity. A huge key in the fight against childhood obesity is educating the parents. The kids can only eat what is put in front of them so if the parents aren't educated on how to be healthy, the chance that the kids will learn is greatly reduced.

"Our main target is the kids, but we know we have to educate the adults so that they can learn and then educate their children," said Rickelman.

National obesity numbers tend to grow when the family's income level drops. Also, when you have parents that are working long days like many Kirksville families, convenience becomes as big or a bigger factor than affordability.

This gives Rickelman and NEMO RAAWKS a go-to goal to get their program off the ground.

"We want to try and eliminate the ability for parents to make excuses. When you have 15 different things telling you what to do, it can make it difficult. We want to be the clearinghouse where you can come to get the info you need," said Rickelman.While kids get the majority of their food and meals from parents and other family members, schools are also a big influence on the nutrition of children.

"The school district is already making changes, I'm not sure if that's because of state regulations, but it's just important that they are being made. The biggest problem the schools have is with the exercise part and just not having enough hands on deck to do what's needed," said Rickelman.

Nutrition is only half of the equation when it comes to personal health. Exercise and physical activity is the other half. Interaction between parent and child is any easy way to get exercise for both.

"I used to take my kids to the park and sit there and text while they played, but when I started to read about the importance of the activity and parent involvement they started to have more fun but were also learning skills that they maybe didn't already know, so parent involvement is a key," said Rickelman.

One key factor in exercise from kids to adults is the element of enjoyment."A big key is that you have to make it fun, one thing I have learned with my own kids is that if it's not fun, they're not going to be that interested in it," said Rickelman.

NEMO Heart Health has a laundry list of ideas and focuses they want to accomplish. Starting with their website nemohearthealth.com, Rickelman wants this to be a one-stop shopping list and go-to exercise site for both parents and kids.

With the website being up and running a next big step is going to be getting how-to videos and YouTube links.

Building through the community is another key and Rickelman has plans to host classes both in the park and in the classroom on how to eat and play healthy. On the calendar for October the organization is helping to bring the national "Jump with Jill" program to talk to local youth about nutrition and having fun while getting some exercise.

"If we work as a community we can accomplish a lot. A parent needs to be engaged with their child and realize that what we do to ourselves has an affect on everyone," said Rickelman.

HyVee has already started classes to help teach kids the value of nutrition, and Rickelman is hopeful other area businesses will follow suit.

A key to having success is to be making the most of what you have and not focusing on the time or equipment you may not have.

"You don't have to be a gym rat, spend 10 hours a day in the gym or have a lot of equipment to be in shape. If the average parent recognizes that they will be surprised," said Rickelman.

While there is a minimum exercise level that is reported often through the national media, there has to be a starting point for everyone.

"Remember to make it as practical as possible, start with what you can handle and work from there," said Rickelman.